Job Specifications
About the job
The immune system is a fundamental determinant of human health, governing resilience to infection and shaping susceptibility to disease and response to treatment. Advances in our understanding of immune function have catalysed some of the most transformative breakthroughs in modern medicine, underpinning a new era of immunotherapies and immune-based interventions.
At IMU Biosciences, our mission is to decode the immune system at unprecedented resolution and translate these insights into meaningful clinical impact. By redefining immune measurement and interpretation at scale, we aim to advance precision medicine, develop diagnostics that enable earlier and more targeted intervention, and unlock novel strategies to harness immunity for the prevention and treatment of disease.
We are a multidisciplinary team of scientists, software engineers and statisticians united by a shared ambition: to change the future of medicine through the power of immune data. We value diversity of thought, creativity, initiative, and a willingness to tackle hard problems in new ways. As an early-stage startup with state-of-the-art laboratories in central London, this is an exciting time to join IMU as we scale our platform and grow our team.
As a Laboratory Support Assistant at IMU Biosciences, you will be working within the laboratory operations team. You will work closely with the lab manager and lab team to support the laboratory’s operational needs, enabling scientists to focus on generating high-quality experimental data. Please note this is an entry-level job role.
Job description
As a Laboratory Support Assistant, you will play a key role in maintaining laboratory organisation, supporting stock and consumable management and ensuring waste and cleaning routines are consistently completed. Working alongside the Lab Manager and team, you will help maintain efficient laboratory operations, supporting scientists to focus on delivering robust experimental results.
The role involves a mixture of daily, weekly and ad-hoc responsibilities, including receiving deliveries, maintaining consumable stocks, supporting waste and recycling processes, preparing basic solutions, and supporting audit and compliance activities.
Our laboratory is situated in our head office in Canary Wharf. In this role you will need to be working at the lab/office in-person every weekday, during typical working hours.
ResponsibilitiesDay-to-day responsibilities
Receive, unpack and correctly store laboratory deliveries
Assist with ordering and stock management of laboratory consumables
Autoclave laboratory waste
Manage laboratory waste and recycling, including daily removing of waste from the laboratory
Perform routine laboratory cleaning, including wiping down surfaces and equipment
Support general laboratory organisation, housekeeping and upkeep
Communicate and reinforce compliance in line with Health & Safety policies with employees and external guests, including the mandatory wearing of appropriate PPE
Undertake routine manual handling tasks, including lifting boxes, storing supplies and relocating equipment
Weekly responsibilities
Carry out stock checks and flag low-stock, expiring or soon-to-expire items
Prepare and refill routine laboratory solutions (e.g. 70% ethanol, sheath fluid)
Wash and maintain laboratory glassware
Monitor liquid nitrogen levels and coordinate with building facilities for refilling
Check expiry dates of consumables and reagents
Perform weekly sink flushing
Ad-hoc responsibilities
Support audits and compliance checks as required
Assist with equipment deep-cleaning as needed
Coordinate laboratory coat laundry and returns
Provide access to the laboratory for on-site engineers and maintenance visits
Help us maintain our My Green Lab Green certification by assisting with sustainability initiatives
Continuous improvement and scaling support
Help identify opportunities to improve laboratory organisation and operational efficiency
Contribute to maintaining consistent standards as the laboratory scales and workflows expand
The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope, purpose and grading of the post.
Skills, knowledge and experienceEssential criteria
A minimum of two A-levels in relevant subjects (Biology or other science-related disciplines), or equivalent vocational qualifications (e.g. BTEC) and/or experience in a relevant technical, scientific, or operational support role
Knowledge of Health, Safety and Environmental legislation as it applies to the laboratory environment including familiarity with COSHH regulations, materials safety data sheets, and other Health, Safety and Environment regulations
Foundational knowledge of biology, chemistry, and/or biochemistry.
Strong organisational skills with excellent attention to detail.
Reliable, practical, and able to carry o